For those not acquainted with Levin Wines, it is a Loire Valley winery owned by David Levin, hotelier/restaurateur and owner of London’s prestigious Capital Hotel.
Levin Wines focuses on food friendly wines that are loyal to their Loire Valley origins. Among the line up are a Rosé (made from the Gamay grape), oaked Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay and a distinctive Gamay Côt blend.
While Gamay excels in Beaujolais and contributes to some lovely easy drinking wines when blended with Pinot Noir in Bourgogne Passetoutgrains, there are some lovely examples to be found in the Loire Valley. In this instance, Gamay is blended with Côt, (the local name for Malbec), resulting in a dry, light to medium bodied wine with crunchy berry fruit and a touch of ironstone minerality.
It’s not the sort of wine that will garner high points from the big name critics, but it is an authentic country wine that one could enjoy equally in a rustic setting with a baguette and some paté de campagne, or in a fine dining environment.
2009 GAMAY CÔT
Producer: Levin Wines
Variety: Gamay, Côt (Malbec)
Vintage: 2009
Region: Loire Valley, France
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $16.99
Date tasted: 29 December 2011
Tasting Note:
Bright raspberry red. Straightforward bouquet of lavender, blackcurrants and underbrush. Dry and very savoury (perhaps too dry for some Australian palates), crunchy redcurrant and blackcurrant fruit. A lovely albeit relatively simple wine to enjoy lightly chilled outdoors on warm summer evenings.
Score: 15/20
Levin Wines focuses on food friendly wines that are loyal to their Loire Valley origins. Among the line up are a Rosé (made from the Gamay grape), oaked Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay and a distinctive Gamay Côt blend.
While Gamay excels in Beaujolais and contributes to some lovely easy drinking wines when blended with Pinot Noir in Bourgogne Passetoutgrains, there are some lovely examples to be found in the Loire Valley. In this instance, Gamay is blended with Côt, (the local name for Malbec), resulting in a dry, light to medium bodied wine with crunchy berry fruit and a touch of ironstone minerality.
It’s not the sort of wine that will garner high points from the big name critics, but it is an authentic country wine that one could enjoy equally in a rustic setting with a baguette and some paté de campagne, or in a fine dining environment.
2009 GAMAY CÔTProducer: Levin Wines
Variety: Gamay, Côt (Malbec)
Vintage: 2009
Region: Loire Valley, France
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $16.99
Date tasted: 29 December 2011
Tasting Note:
Bright raspberry red. Straightforward bouquet of lavender, blackcurrants and underbrush. Dry and very savoury (perhaps too dry for some Australian palates), crunchy redcurrant and blackcurrant fruit. A lovely albeit relatively simple wine to enjoy lightly chilled outdoors on warm summer evenings.
Score: 15/20
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